Fifth Is One to Watch

Owners Bob and Beverly Lewis have won the Kentucky Derby twice in the last five years, winning a thriller with Silver Charm in 1997, then winning two years later with longshot Charismatic.

Prince Ahmed bin Salman, the man behind The Thoroughbred Corporation, missed out on a Derby victory last year when Point Given inexplicably ran his worst race of the year. But the talented colt redeemed himself in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

Today’s fifth race at Santa Anita could help determine whether the Lewises and Salman have more Triple Crown prospects.

True Monarch, a $325,000 yearling purchase by the Lewises in September 2000, and Puerto Banus, a $345,000 buy last year by Salman, will try two turns for the first time in the mile race against five other 3-year-olds.

Trained by Bob Baffert, True Monarch faded to 11th of 12 in his debut on Santa Anita’s opening day on Dec. 26 after pressing the early pace from an inside post.

Brought back less than three weeks later, the son of Maria’s Mon was reserved a couple of lengths off the pace by jockey Gary Stevens, was carried a little wide into the stretch by eventual runner-up Fall For Me, but went on to win impressively by three lengths.

Now, we’ll see if True Monarch is up to handling more distance. He certainly has continued to train well, turning in 1:12 and 582/5 drills in the last nine days.

Also trained by Baffert, Puerto Banus didn’t figure to win sprinting first time out. A son of Supremo and a half-brother to the multiple-stakes winning mare Spain, he rallied strongly in the stretch to win by a head at 15-1 after breaking slowly and racing wide. Like True Monarch, Puerto Banus has trained well since the victory. He again will be ridden by Victor Espinoza.

The field for the race, which carries a $54,000 purse, is completed by Raven Power, a son of Known Fact who beat maidens by two lengths in a promising debut; Azillion, a new face from England who won one of three overseas; Gold Dollar, a Wayne Lukas-trained son of Seattle Slew who has won one of nine; longshot Cable Ready, and Pelirrojo, a late-running gray who also should improve around two turns.

*

Race of the day: The seventh is a sprint scheduled for the turf that drew a sharp F J’s Pace, European import Munjiz, Islander, who has four grass victories, and the comebacking Skip To The Stone, who will be making his first start for Baffert.

Who’s hot: Jeff Mullins. The trainer, who won at a 25% rate last year, is keeping up that pace at Santa Anita. He has won with seven of his first 28 starters and will try for another win with Joe Holiday in today’s sixth race.

Who’s not: Corey Nakatani. The rider, who led the standings at this meet during the 1999-2000 season, is three for 61 through the first 25 days.

Exotically speaking: An exacta box in the fourth using Fin Entertainment, Hezacatseye and Cintegrity.

Winners: Previous Day/Meet Total: 3/73. Money: Previous Day/Meet Total: $19/$473.60. Total money bet: $428.